Wringer



13, 1940- J. L. PERKINS 2.21 3

WRINGER Filed Oct. 26, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l .k a g s QQ $5 Q INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Aug. 13, 1940. J pERKlNS 2,210,949

WRINGER Filed Oct. 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 13, 1940UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRINGER Julian L. Perkins, West Springfield,Mass, assig'nor to Perkins Machine and Gear Company Application October26, 1937, Serial No. 171,040.

4 Claims. (01. 68-253) I I,

the parts shown in Fig. '7 taken on the line 88 This invention relatesto improvements in wringer apparatus, and the principal objects of v theinvention are directed to the provision of a wringer wherein cooperatingrolls may be releasably locked in operative engagement, and

tension means are provided which automatically tension the rolls when inoperative relation.

In wringers of the class to which the invention relates, it is common toreleasably lock the wringer rolls in operative engagement by themovement of an operating member which also simultaneously puts the rollsunder a spring.

tension. In such a construction, the manual effort required to put therolls under a spring tension is objectionable.

According to this invention there is a manually engageable operatingmember which is movable between operative and inoperative positions soas to releasably lock the rolls in operative relation, very littleefiort being required on the part of the operator to move the member. Atension means for the rolls is brought into play automatically by powermeans which is under the control of or is activated by the operatingmember. The wringer'may be easily and quickly operated since noparticular effort is required to releasably lock the rolls in theiroperative relation while the tension means usually requiringconsiderable ef fort is operated automatically or mechanically.

The several novel features and advantages of this invention will be morefully hereinafter referred to in connection with the accompanyingdescription of the preferred form of the invention with reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional elevational view through a wringerembodying the novel features of the invention;

Fig. 2 a plan view on the line 22-of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a receiver guide associated with the head andend frame of the wringer shown in Fig. l; I

Fig. 3a is a transverse sectional elevational view approximately on theline 3a3a of Fig. l to show certain novel features of construction;

Fig. 4 is a partial rear end elevational view on the line 4-4 of Fig.1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevational view on the line 55 of Fig. l withparts broken away for clearness;

Fig. 6 is a plan view on the line E-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevational view on the line l-l of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of certainof tudinal member 6. Theparts beingthus connected, they provide a frame and the head 2 hasassociated therewith certain mechanisms which are about to b described.

A driven shaft 8 is rotatable in the head and a lower wringer roll Illhas a head H in a socket of shaft 8 as'shown; A'journal part [4 of theroll it is journaled in the outer or end frame 4. A pin l4 of the rollhead works in a slot of shaft 8, as shown, whereby-as shaft 8 rotatesthe roll. I0 is rotated thereby. The head is provided with a verticalguideway such as l2 in Fig. 3 anda similar guideway is associated withthe outer end frame 4. In each guideway there is a receiver l8 such asshown in Fig. 3. The receivers are slidable up and down in theguideways. Depending downwardly from each receiver l8 and at either sidethereof are rods 20 (see Fig. 3a). Plates 22, below the receivers ithave parts 24 which are slidable on rods 20 and springs 26 around therods bear on heads'ZB of the rods and against parts 24. These resistseparation of the receivers and plates and serve as tension means forthe rolls as will presently appear. An opi ber 30 are arranged formovement in the slot and 42 described. In the drawings the upperroll 34is shown as resting on and in operative en-' gagement with the lowerroll H). To releasably lock the rolls in operative relation theoperating member 30 is swung to an operative position at one side or theother of the vertical so that the projection 38 enters the seat 46 withthe lower projection 36 being positioned in the lower slot 4?. The rollsare released by swinging the operatingmember to its central," neutral orinoperative position and the upper projection 38 is moved into alignmentwith the upper slot).

Then the upper roll is free to move upwardly and when moved upwardly theoperating member may be swung to a more or less horizontal position sothat the upper projection enters the slot 44.

The operation just described is similar to that of the wringer shown anddescribed in U. S. Patent to Perkins 1,906,407. As shown in said patentas the operating member is manually moved from a neutral inoperativeposition to an operative position to releasably lock the rolls inoperative relation the wringer rolls are simultaneously subjected to theaction of the tension means. This requires considerable efiort on thepart of the operator.

According to this invention the novel construction does not require theoperator in swinging the operating member to exert any considerableeffort, since the rolls are not put under pressure by the operatingmember 30. Instead by the present invention the rolls are merelyreleasably locked in operative relation, the only effort required isthat for releasably locking by discerning the parts so that the rollsand occasioned by the compacting of the rolls which may be flattened tosome extent. There is no action of the springs 26 brought into playsince this is done by another means now to be described.

The means for compressing the springs 26 placing the rolls under tensionwill now be described. A tension shaft 5 0 is journaled in the head andin the outer frame as shown in Fig. 1 and it has eccentrically disposedportions 52 which are journaled in the lower portions of the plates 22.Shaft 50 is automatically rotated when the operating member is movedfrom an inoperative to operative position through means to be described,and as it rotates the eccentric portions of the shaft are rotatedapproximately 180 and downwardly from the position shown in Figs. 1 and3 to move the plates 22 downwardly and compress the springs 26. As thesprings 26 are compressed thereby providing a space between thereceivers I8 and parts 24 of the plates 22 as material is passed betweenthe rolls it is subjected to the action of the springs since the springsresist upward movements of the receivers to which the upper roll islocked.

As will be seen when the operating member is moved from a centralinoperative position to an operative position the rolls are releasablylocked in operative relation then as the shaft 50 is caused to rotatethe rolls are put under spring tension.

The driving mechanism of the wringer will now be described.

In the head there is shown a vertical shaft which is coupled by acoupling 62 to shaft 64. In all cases the wringer will be adapted to beplaced on the vertical column of a washing machine and. in the columnthere is sucha shaft as 64 to which the wringer driving 'mechanism maybe connected by means of the coupling 62. The shaft 64 is adapted forcontinuous rotation. A gear 66 is fixed to shaft 60 which is incontinuous rotation and meshes with a gear 68 normally rotatable onshaft 50. The gear 60 is in continuous rotation on shaft 50 but it isengaged with said shaft 50 accordingly as the operating member'30 ismoved from an inoperative to an operative position. I

A gear I0 is fixed to the shaft 8 andit is in mesh with upper and lowergears'IZ rotatable on shaft 60. A spline I4 is associated with shaft 60.The gears 12 have movable in bores I8 thereof keys in the form of ballsI8 which are receivable in the spline I4. A collar 80' is movable up anddown relative to the gears 12. Inner beveled surfaces, as shown, areassociated with the collar 80 which act on the ball I8 to force theminwardly of the gears I2 so that the balls enter spline I4 and lock thegears I2 to the shaft 60. A circumferential groove 8| around the collar80 receives a pin as shown which is carried by the lower end of a lever84.

By moving the collar 80 up or down from the position shown in Fig. 1 oneor the other of the gears I2 may be clutched to shaft 60. According towhich one of the said gears is clutched to the shaft the shaft 0 andlower roll will be rotated in one direction or the other.

The'lever 84, see Figure 4, is pivoted to the head at 86 and its upperend is slotted at 80. A rock shaft 90 is journaled in the head andcarries an arm 92 provided with a pin 54 which is disposed in the slot88. An arm 98 fixed to the inner end of shaft 90 has a slot I00 whichreceives the extension of the projection 38 of the operating member 30.As the operating member is moved in one direction or the other toreleasably lock the rolls in operative relation the extension 40 causesthe member 98 to be rocked to oscillate shaft 90 whereby member 92operates lever 84. In that way the collar 80' is moved up or downwhereby the rolls are driven in one direction or the other according tothat operating position to which member 30 has been moved.

The gear 68 has a pawl IIO pivoted thereto at H2 (see Figures 5 and 6).A ratchet H4 is fixed to shaft 50, and is provided with notches II6adapted to receive the pawl H0. The pawl IIO has an extension H8 and aspring I20 in a socket I22 of gear 68 acts on the extension I I8 andtends to move the pawl clockwise of gear 68 so that it will enter anotch II6 of the ratchet II4 when permitted to. A lever I30 is carriedby a covering rod I32 which is slidable in the head and it has a hub orsleeve part I34 surrounding the ratchet I I4 so that the hub part isslidable on the ratchet. The inner end of hub I34 has slots I36 providedwith cam faces I31. A pin or keeper I38 projects from the pawl I I0 andas the gear 68 rotates carrying pawl IIO with it the keeper I38 normallyrotates around and on the hub I34 of lever I30, the end of the pawlpassing over notches II6 of ratchet II4.

When lever I30 is moved away from gear 68 the hub I34 is removed frombeneath pin I38 whereupon the pawl being rotated by the gear enters anotch I I5 of ratchet I I4 so that, through the pawl and ratchet, theshaft 50 is rotated. The lever I30 is moved away from gear 68 when theoperating member is moved to an operating position. It is urged towardsgear 68 by spring I40 after a movement away from said gear and its innerend brings up against pin I38 of the pawl. When the pin arrives at anotch I36 of hub I34 the spring moves the lever towards the gear becausethe pin enters said notch and being rotated by the gear the pin rides upthe cam surface I31 of the notch withdrawing the pawl IIO from the notchN6 of the ratchet whereby rotation of the shaft 50 is stopped.

The parts are arranged so that shaft 50 is rotated through 180 which issufficient to tension the springs by moving plates 22 downwardly. Asstated the lever I30 is moved away from gear 68 when the operatingmember is moved from inoperative to operative position, thereby causingshaft 50 to be operated for putting the rolls under tension. The lever Iis moved again when the operating member is moved from operative toinoperative position thereby causing shaft 59 to be rotated to releasethe pressure on the rolls.

The lever I30 is moved by the means now to be described.

A lever I46 is pivoted at I 38 for a swinging movement (see Figs. 1, 7and 8). Its lower end is arranged to engage an outwardly extending partI 59 carried by lever I30 and its upper end is notched to receive aV-shaped projection I52 on member 98 fixed to shaft 90.

As lever 98 is swung by the extension of the operating member 30 fromcentral neutral to an operating position the projection I52 of member 98rides out of the recess of lever I46 causing the said lever I46 to swingand it acting on part I50 of said lever I30 moves it away from gear 68allowing the pawl III! to operate the ratchet on shaft 50. As theoperating member 30 is moved from operative to inoperative position themember 98 is moved to neutral position so that the V-shaped projectionswings lever I 46 in entering the notch thereof. This causes the leverI30 to be moved away from gear 68 for operation of the ratchet and pawlmechanism.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the operating member in itsmovement from inoperative to operative position merely locks the rollsin operative relation while the tension means is rendered operativeautomatically to put the rolls under tension.- This eliminates thenecessity of the operator exerting sufficient effort on the member 30 toput the rolls under tension whereby the operation of the wringer doesnot call for any great effort on the part of the operator.

In stopping the wringer the operator merely engages it for movement toits neutral inoperative position and the tension means is automaticallyreleased.

Having described the invention in great detail and with respect to apreferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto sincemany changes and modifications may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. What it isdesired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A wringer comprising in combination, a frame, coacting rolls,pressure means for said rolls, driving means, engageable drivingmechanism for said rolls connected thereto having a shifter movablebetween operative and inoperative positions to engage and disengage thesame, power means operable to actuate said'pressure means and applypressure or release the same having a movable member to connect saidpower means and disconnect the same from the pressure, means, a manuallyengageable bar member extending along from end to end of said wringerswingable thereon on a horizontal axis and movable between operative andinoperative positions, connections operable when said member is inoperative position to connect said rolls to the pressure means, andconnections operable when said member is in operative position to movesaid member to connect the power meansto said pres' sure means.

2. A wringer comprising in combination, a frame, pressure means forrolls having a member movable between operative pressure applying andinoperative pressure releasing positions, coacting rolls one of which ismovable relative to the other between operative pressure applied andinoperative pressure released positions, a longitudinally extendingmanually engageable operating member swingable between operative andinoperative positions, releasable connections associated with saidmember and pressure means operable when said member is in operativeposition to connect said rolls to the pressure means and hold said rollsagainst movements away from each other, power means, engageable rolldriving mechanism connected thereto having a shifter movable betweenengaging and disengaging positions, means for actuating thepressuremeans engageably connected to the power means, a movable memberto engage and disengage the same, and connections between said operatingmember and said shifter and between said member and said movable member.

3. A wringer comprising in combination, a frame, pressure means forrolls having a member movable between operative pressure applying andinoperative pressure releasing positions, coacting rolls one of which ismovable relative to the other between operative pressure applied andinoperative pressure released positions, a longitudinally extendingmanually engageable operating member swingable between operative andinoperative positions, releasable connections associated with saidmember and pressure means operable when said member is in operativeposition to connect said rolls to the pressure means and hold said rollsagainst movements away from each other, power means, engageable rolldriving mechanism connected thereto having a shifter movable betweenengaging and disengaging positions, means for actuating the pressuremeans engageably connected to the power means, a movable member toengage and disengage the same, and connections between said operatingmember and said shifter and between said member and said movable member,said releasable connections including projections at the ends of saidoperating member and said one roll releasably receivable in cam slotsprovided in said pressure means.

4. A wringer comprising in combination, a frame, pressure means forrolls having a member movable between operative pressure applying andinoperative pressure releasing positions, coacting rolls one of which ismovable relative to the other between operative pressure applied andinoperative pressure released positions, a longitudinally extendingmanually engageable operating member swingable between operative andinoperative positions, releasable connections associated with saidmember and pressure means operable when said member is in operativeposition to connect said rolls to'the pressure means and hold said rollsagainst movements away from each other, power means, engageable rolldriving mechanism connected thereto having a shifter movable betweenengaging and disengaging positions, means for actuating the pressuremeans engageably connected to the power means, a movable member toengage and disengage the same, and connections between said operatingmember and said shifter and between said member and said movable member,said pressure means including members slidable in said frame and saidmeans for actuating the pressure including a rotatable shaft havingexcentrically disposed members operatively engaging said slidablemembers.

JULIAN L. PERKINS.

